Modesto Farms

Modesto Farms is a fourth generation family farm. They were recognized as a Virginia Century Farm in 1998. In 2012 they were awarded the Clean Water award for the Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water district. They have fenced out all the streams, springs and ponds. The fenced out areas are planted in native grasses and trees.

Their plants are watered from the spring. They grow without chemicals in seven greenhouses. They grow from seed, slips and plugs. They are open to the public from April through June and August through October. The rest of the months they are open by appointment only as they are growing for the next season, making repairs, and trimming shrubbery.

Modesto Farms was featured on the PBS “Virginia Home Grown” show the last week of March. The tape is available at PBS online. The subject was protecting plants with management instead of chemicals and plants that assist the homeowner and green houses to keep away the harmful pests.

Special Programs: For the tour we plan to have tours through the growing processing from ordering seeds to mixing the medium, to filling the containers, to planting either on the seed bed or transplanting plugs or making slips, showing how we keep the plants healthy without chemicals to getting them ready for our customers. We will have a planting station for children and everyone can have a cool drink of spring water.

Farm Sales: plants from the greenhouse, farm fresh eggs

Directions:

From Charlottesville take Route 20 South to Route 53 at PVCC / Turn left on Route 53 East / In 3 miles, bear right on James Monroe Parkway / Take left on Route 620 (sharp turn up the hill) / Stay on 620 until you reach the green houses on left.

This is the shortest way from town. If one comes Route 20 to Scottsville, turn left onto Route 6 across from the Tavern of the James. Continue on Route 6 about 8-9 miles. Turn left onto Route 620 at Kidd’s Store, small country store. Green houses are one mile on the right.